Fire-escape.



'C. R. TAYLOR.

FIRE- ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. I911.

-' 1,249,855. Patented Dee. 11, 1917.

cnantns 1a.. tartan or ros'ronia, MICHIGAN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 191?.

Application filed. May 28, 191?. Serial lt'o. lY'lAlS i.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLns lit. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at i ostoria, in the county of Tuscola, ldtate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in lire-escapes and particularly to portable and foldable fire-escapes.

011s object of the present invention is to provide a novel and eflicient device of this character which. can be quickly and easily applied to the window frame of a burning building and let down on the outside of the building to permit the person to escape.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which can be easily rolled into a small compass for disposition in a suit-case or hand bag.

Another object is to provide novel means for releasing the window engaging means after the person has descended to safety thereby permitting the recovery of the device.

@ther objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

in the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of my im proved fire-escape applied to the window of a building.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of one of the window engaging hooks.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the said hook.

ll ig. lis an enlarged elevation of a portion of the ladder.

l ig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4e.

lFig. (3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the hook in released position.

llleferring particularly to the acco1npanyingdrawing represents a pair of ropes which form the side rails of the ladder. Secured to the ropes 10, at regularly spaced in tervals, are the rungs 11. At approximately every fourth rung there is secured a trans verse bar 12, on each end of which is hinged, at 13, a member l l, said member being adapted to be extended rearwardly of the ladder and to engage with the wall of the building to prevent the ladder from swinging thereagainst. These members are also arranged to be folded against the members 12 when the device is not in use. Carried by the center of each of the bars 12 is a ring 15, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

Carried by the upper ends of the ropes 10 are the vertically extending eye-bolts 16, and connected. to these bolts are the sill engaging members 17. Each of the members 17 is provided with guide eyes 18 for the slidable reception of one portion of a hook member 19. Carried by the outer end of the hook member is an eye 20, and secured to this eye is one end of acord 21, the said cord pass ing through a second eye 22 carried by the said member 19, and thence downwardly through all of the rings of the bars 12, to the bottom of the ladder, where it can be grasped to pull the hook members slidably inward on the sill engaging members. This sliding movement of the hook members effectively releases the said members and the sill engaging members from the window frame, and permits the ladder to drop to the ground, thereby saving the ladder from destruction in the burning building.

It will thus be seen that l have provided a simple and etlicient device whereby a person can quickly and easily escape from a burning building, and afterward recover the ladder for future use. Furthermore, the device can be readily rolled into a compact condition for packing in a suitcase, handbag or trunk, so that it can be transported from place to place and be at all times ready for use.

What is claimed is:

A fire-escape including a flexible ladder, sill engaging members movably connected to the upper end of the ladder, slidable hook In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature members carried by the sill engaging memin the presence of two witnesses. bers for engagement with a window sill,

guiding means carried by the ladder, and a CHARLES rlAYLOR' releasing means for the hook members dis- Witnesses:

posed through the guiding means and oper- A. J. EVELAND,

able from the ground. HARLEY MINER.

copies of this patent may; be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Gommisstoner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

